Chinese officials predict more human H7N9 avian flu cases

With a large spurt of new human H7N9 avian influenza cases reported so far in 2014, at least 120 news cases since Jan.1, Chinese health officials predict that reports of the novel virus will continue on the Mainland, according to a Xinhua report today.

This negatively-stained transmission electron micrograph (TEM) captured some of the ultrastructural details exhibited by the new influenza A (H7N9) virus.Image/Cynthia S. Goldsmith and Thomas Rowe

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Yao Hongwen, spokesman for the National Health and Family Planning Commission said, “No mutation of the virus has been identified so far that could affect public health, and transmission from animals remains the only way in which humans have picked up the virus.”

The newest cases include patients from Shenzhen, Zhaoqing, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces.

Specifically, the case in Shenzhen involves a woman aged 81 who died on February 7. The case in Zhaoqing is a boy aged 11 currently hospitalised for treatment. The cases in Zhejiang and Anhui are two men aged 68 and 66 respectively. Both are under treatment in hospital.

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Robert Herriman - Writer, Co-Founder and Executive Editor of The Global Dispatch. Robert has been covering news in the areas of health, world news and politics for a variety of online news sources.
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